Pune: Traffic Woes at ABC Farms Chowk Leave Salunkhe Vihar Residents Frustrated

Reported by Shoaib Tadvi
Wanowrie, 4th August 2026: Residents of Sahyadri Park and Salunkhe Vihar have raised serious concerns over worsening traffic congestion at ABC Farms (Girme) Chowk, alleging that daily gridlock has become a major ordeal for thousands of commuters.

According to residents, vehicles remain stranded for more than an hour during peak hours, while Fridays and Saturdays witness such severe congestion that many people struggle to leave or reach their homes on time.

Residents said Sahyadri Park spans nearly 15 acres and comprises 68 plots with around 60 cooperative housing societies. Approximately 1,500 flats, nearly 1,000 cars and about 4,000 residents rely on the 40-foot-wide internal road running parallel to Salunkhe Vihar Road. The locality also has four nursery schools, a Dhyan Mandir and a 1.5-acre garden, which residents claim has remained locked and inaccessible for years.

According to residents, the internal road was originally developed as a quiet residential stretch where senior citizens could take morning and evening walks and children could play safely. However, rapid urban development over the past few years has significantly increased traffic movement in the area.

Residents said nearly 2,000 new flats have been built in and around Salunkhe Vihar, NIBM Road and the Trump Trebeca area, resulting in a sharp rise in vehicular traffic. They alleged that traffic from Dorabjee Mall, Trump Trebeca and neighbouring residential projects converges at ABC Farms Chowk, making it one of the busiest intersections in the locality.

Residents further alleged that the situation is worsened by roadside encroachments, illegal parking and commercial activities around the junction. They claimed that flower vendors, tea stalls, paan and cigarette shops, vegetable vendors and other roadside businesses occupy public spaces, while customers park their vehicles along the roadside, reducing the carriageway and creating traffic bottlenecks.

According to residents, heavy vehicles, ready-mix concrete trucks, water tankers and PMPML buses continue to use the narrow Shivarkar Road despite its limited width. They said buses stopping near the junction and autorickshaws waiting for passengers further aggravate congestion during peak hours.

Residents also alleged that several commercial establishments and roadside businesses have come up near the junction, including tea stalls, food stalls, a Chinese food outlet, a coffee shop and a puncture repair shop. They claimed that an unauthorised autorickshaw stand, tempo parking and vehicles belonging to nearby commercial establishments, including an Airtel office, occupy public roads throughout the day, reducing the available road width.

They also claimed that water tankers regularly draw water from a nearby well, while daily wage labourers gather near the junction every morning seeking work, further adding to congestion.

Apart from traffic concerns, residents alleged that the locality has witnessed increasing law-and-order issues in recent years. They claimed that groups of youths gather late at night, consume alcohol, rev motorcycle engines, perform wheelies and create noise until the early hours. Residents also alleged incidents involving liquor consumption, drug activity and prostitution in the area, saying complaints had previously been submitted to Kondhwa Police. These allegations have not been independently verified.

Residents also expressed concern over a Sai Mandir located on the footpath near the entrance to Sahyadri Park. They claimed the structure obstructs pedestrian movement and affects the turning radius for vehicles. They have requested the authorities to relocate the structure in accordance with applicable legal provisions.

According to residents, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had earlier removed some encroachments near ABC Farms Chowk, but many roadside stalls and structures reappeared shortly afterwards. They alleged that repeated encroachments continue to hamper traffic despite earlier enforcement drives.

To address the issue, residents have urged the PMC and Pune Traffic Police to remove or relocate roadside vendors, shift the PMPML bus stop, restrict heavy vehicles from using Shivarkar Road, declare no-parking zones, remove illegal encroachments, relocate the autorickshaw and tempo stands, prevent commercial vehicles from occupying public roads, install speed breakers, traffic signals and CCTV cameras, place speed limit and school warning signs, inspect commercial establishments for necessary permissions, develop the Sahyadri Park garden and consider constructing a flyover at the Kondhwa–Salunkhe Vihar junction as a long-term solution.

Resident Ranjit Nair described the daily hardship faced by commuters. “At least some solution should come. Last Friday, I was stuck in traffic for so long that I had to park my vehicle on the roadside and walk home. On Fridays and Saturdays, the congestion is so severe that we cannot even move out of our homes.”

Air Commodore (Retd.) Suhas Mohite said roadside commercial activity and unauthorised parking have become major causes of the congestion. “There are cigarette shops, tea stalls, vehicles parked along the road and autorickshaws stopping near the junction. I have heard that the rickshaw stand is unauthorised. The authorities should verify whether it is legal or illegal and take appropriate action because this has become a daily struggle for residents.”

Suniel Mirchandani, another resident of the area, said the persistent congestion has become a daily burden for families living nearby. “The traffic at ABC Farms Chowk has become unbearable. Every day, residents spend a long time stuck in traffic while entering or leaving their homes. Because of illegal parking, roadside encroachments and increasing traffic, the situation continues to worsen. We urge the authorities to take immediate and permanent measures before the problem becomes even more serious.”

Maya Devre, Police Inspector, Kondhwa Traffic Division, said the authorities are examining both encroachments and traffic management measures. “I will discuss this with the local corporators. I will also discuss it with the Ward Officer regarding encroachments because encroachments are one of the causes of traffic congestion. We want an overall solution. Traffic is an issue across Pune, and we have to resolve it. We are looking at options such as one-way traffic, restricting heavy vehicles and discussing the PMPML bus route with the PMC. Let us see what overall solution can be worked out.”

Ward 18 Corporator Mahesh Punde said efforts are underway to resolve the issue. “We had a productive discussion with the Traffic Police as well as residents. We are working towards an overall solution. I have asked the Traffic Police to complete the necessary documentation for declaring no-parking zones through the PMC. I will also approach the PMC for action against illegal encroachments.”

Residents said they hope the Pune Municipal Corporation and Pune Traffic Police will take prompt action to address the long-pending issues of encroachments, illegal parking and traffic management, providing much-needed relief to thousands of commuters and families living in the Salunkhe Vihar and Sahyadri Park areas.